Tim Heneghan
Tim Heneghan ran for election to the Chicago City Council to represent Ward 41 in Illinois. Heneghan lost in the general election on February 26, 2019.
Heneghan completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. Click here to read the survey answers.
Heneghan responded to Ballotpedia's unique candidate survey for 2019 Chicago candidates. The survey questions were developed with input from more than 100 Chicagoans in the months preceding the 2019 election. Here is one selected response:
"Freezing property taxes on low level earners and the elderly is something that I favor. Rent control is another option on the table for me."
Click here to read more of Heneghan's responses.
Biography
Heneghan's professional experience includes working as a firefighter and EMT. He served as president of the Elmwood Park Firefighters Association and was a four-term member on the Ebinger Local School Council. He is affiliated with the Cook County Democratic Party.[1]
Elections
2019
See also: City elections in Chicago, Illinois (2019)
General election
General election for Chicago City Council Ward 41
Incumbent Anthony Napolitano defeated Tim Heneghan in the general election for Chicago City Council Ward 41 on February 26, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Anthony Napolitano (Nonpartisan) | 70.3 | 12,502 | |
 | Tim Heneghan (Nonpartisan)  | 29.7 | 5,289 | |
| Total votes: 17,791 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Campaign themes
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Chicago 2019 Candidate Survey
Tim Heneghan completed Ballotpedia's Chicago candidates survey for 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Heneghan's responses.
Low-income families do not have the same choices, options, or alternatives when it comes to public school. How can this be addressed?
Here is an example for you; Steinmetz HS is completely underutilized. Taft HS is over crowded. CPS has decided to open up a brand new Taft Freshman Campus outside of Taft's boundary. Now 4 of Steinmetz's largest feeder schools will attend Taft further hurting Steinmetz. CPS is wasting money on a new school that is not necessary. We need to redistrict boundaries so they make sense and help fund these schools with new revenue streams so that we can help all kids succeed.
How would you address inequality within and between schools?
We need to make sure that all schools have the same funding and resources as others do.
How can public schools better support their teachers and work more productively with the teachers’ union, parents, and the community?
A great start would be an elected school board, which I will advocate strongly for.
What do you believe are the greatest needs of kids in school today? How would you prioritize these needs and address them?
Smaller class sizes - hire more teachers Funding - advocate for new revenue streams dedicated to school funding Parental involvement - I would look to get parents and caregivers actively involved in what we are doing for their kids at schools. School resources - Hire more diverse learner staff, nurses, librarians, and support staff. Child health - Obesity is a big issue due to poor diet and lack of exercise. Institute more programs and activities.
What are your proposals for supporting children before and after school? What would be your ideal afterschool programs?
I would work with the local parks and integrate some after school activities with them. Also we can utilize our resources within the schools building by asking for dedicated volunteers to sponsor and mentor kids with after school reading and math programs.
Do you believe that there is corruption in Chicago politics, such as pay-to-play practices when the city awards bids? If so, how would you address it?
Yes i do. As alderman I would refuse to accept money from developers.
How would you make the city’s policies more responsive to community input instead of donors or special interests?
I will establish zoning advisory boards within all of the specific neighborhoods in my ward. I would also hold regular town hall meetings to present issues to the people and gather feedback.
How would you handle the “recurrence of unaddressed racially discriminatory conduct by officers” identified in the U.S. Justice Department’s investigative report of the Chicago PD published in 2017?
We need more training and continuing education mandatory for all CPD.
What sort of proposals would help reduce police shootings and fatalities?
We need more training and continuing education mandatory for all CPD.
What ideas do you have to reduce the availability of illegal or unregistered guns in Chicago?
We need to work with all agencies on the local, county, state, and federal levels to ascertain and get to the root of where these guns are illegally sold. We then need to administer very tough sentencing on illegal gun dealers.
How will you help to rebuild trust in the police department and to encourage the community to work with police?
A great start would be incorporating the CPD into some neighborhood activities and programs. Let the neighbors get to know and build relationships with officers outside of them being CPD. Trust can only be earned through positive interaction.
How would you address criminal justice issues such as prison reform and the reintegration of formerly incarcerated persons into city life?
We can look at reducing sentencing on low level drug offenders and non violent criminals and give them hope of a better future. Underutilized CPS schools can be used for job training and education.
How would you address the displacement of people of color and long-term residents from their neighborhoods?
We need stricter policies on developers and zoning. Gentrification has made many areas unaffordable for too many citizens.
How would you care for the most vulnerable Chicagoans?
We need to invest in more mental health facilities and dedicate more funding to help people get basic necessities.
How would you ensure that development benefits residents in their neighborhoods and not solely the developers and other interests?
I would hold regular town hall meetings with zoning advisory board members who would be representing specific areas of my ward. My ward has many different and unique neighborhoods.
How would you distribute revenue fairly between neighborhoods?
I would need to know the specific needs of each neighborhood to answer that question. In theory it would make sense to know the needs and wants of each neighborhood and weigh that with the wants and needs of other neighborhoods.
How do you propose to resolve the city’s underfunded pension plan for city employees?
I will advocate for new revenue streams and dedicate them solely to pensions until we can get to an 80% funding on all pensions. I believe that Pension Obligation Bonds are an option to explore. The sale and taxation of recreational cannabis, sports wagering and a Chicago owned and operated Downtown Casino.
What’s your opinion on tax increment financing (a program that funds development using any additional property tax revenue that results from an increase in appraised property values)? What, if any, changes would you make to the use of TIF?
I believe that TIF's have not been used properly for what they are intended to be used. We need major overhauling and oversight of TIF policies. Thus far it has been a slush fund for the Mayor's office.
How would you assess the city's finances, and if your proposals would require new spending, how would you pay for them?
Pensions are our number one enemy right now and I have addressed that in an earlier question. I will look for resources outside of property taxes to help fund necessary needs in City financials problems.
Would you be in favor of freezing property taxes, at least for low-income households, so that people can stay where they are living?
Freezing property taxes on low level earners and the elderly is something that I favor. Rent control is another option on the table for me.
How would you increase access to quality food and urgent care in all parts of the city?
Tax incentives to businesses need to be made to attract them into areas that are wanting for basic needs such as food and clothing.
How will you address public health concerns such as contaminated drinking water, rat infestation, and lead poisoning?
Lead testing kits need to be made available to all homes and residences. Filters need to be made available to homes. As far as rodent control residents can help by picking up their dogs waste and disposing it properly. Rat extermination is critical to the health and safety of residents.
How would you make Chicago a cleaner city with less waste and pollution?
I believe that Chicago is a fairly clean city. There is always room for improvement. We need to make sure we keep good staffing with Streets and Sanitation.
What would be your first steps for improving the transit system in terms of affordability, accessibility, and safety?
Seniors and people below the poverty level should have free access to public transportation. If these people can get around they can get jobs and enrich their lives. More cameras and "panic" buttons for bus and train operators to alert police of crime.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2019 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted on Ballotpedia’s biographical information submission form on January 25, 2019
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